LaMelo Ball Benched in the 4th! What was Charles Lee THINKING?!

The Charlotte Hornets lost a tight NBA Cup game to the Brooklyn Nets, but the biggest story was LaMelo Ball sitting out the final 3:47 of the fourth quarter. Hosts Walker Mehl, Doug Branson, and David Walker dissect Charles Lee’s controversial decision and what it means for the Hornets’ franchise player. They explore the dynamic between LaMelo and Lee, speculate about long-term implications, and break down Brandon Miller’s standout performance. Plus, why did the officiating leave everyone scratching their heads? Tune in for in-depth analysis on a pivotal night for the Hornets.

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43 comments
  1. You can't win basketball games jacking up 3 pointers as soon as you get past half court. You got to play in structure. Just because you get your numbers, you are still affecting the team. Kobe had to learn that, Iverson never did. You win championships as a team. Structured offence, solid defense. He is building something. Lamelo needs to get on board. This man has multiple championships. He wants to build it the right way.

  2. Charles Lee is a horrible coach, yes I said it who benches their best players , the most clutch player in the entire NBA at that and then you draw up a shot for Brandon Miller who is not clutch at all 🤦‍♂️ , even if Melo had a bad game I’d trust him to take that shot

  3. Melo has a tendency to lose his head when shot isn't falling. Also that foul was 100% worth being pulled for, it was careless.

    We need our leader to be disciplined and playing within a system. He can't BE the system. That won't allow us to grow into a winning team.

  4. Let’s be real he didn’t even give LaMelo enough time to play in the fourth quarter. He gave him literally 3 1/2 minutes. He brought him in at the 720 mark and expect him to go off for three minutes then sit him down because of a foul stop I think Charles Lee is trying to prove something that he can win without LaMelo Ball, which he can’t

  5. That take foul is why he got benched. The emotional control lemelo ball doesn’t have is a problem.

    I just wished he would have said that durring the press conference, but I get it. The team probably wouldn’t let him say what he needed to.

    If he can’t learn from this, as much of I love his play, a championship team can’t be built onto an immature lead.

  6. If he wanted to bench Melo for 2 or 3 minutes fine but the rest of game from the 5 minute mark is terrible coaching because it shows you don’t care about winning instead you care about making a point. which is fine but you ain’t gonna be a head coach in the NBA long this is a players league thru and thru

  7. You have a player who only knows "how to ball" loves ball ,only wants to ball and has a style of playground basketball that often leads to bad 30 feet 3 pointers and frustration fouls when turns to ball over vs a coach who loves to teach ,believes in fundamental play, team play and wants to build a "culture of that belief. You hear that in his press conferences never giving single praise to one player. He has to find a balance in teaching a understanding this isn't Milwaukee or boston with a history of winning, This is a organization that needs wins .

  8. This is going to comeback to haunt Lee , Lamelo already been through this with the first Hornets coach. I bet when it’s basically confirmed that Lamelo is an all star again you will see retaliation from him. Lee you don’t have the talent and horses to go against Lamelo especially later in the season when every team will grow hungrier for wins. Trust me Lamelo will remember this and play the long game with this coach.

  9. When it comes to being a coach .

    You have to take a stand and draw your line in the sand. Lamelo is never going to be an all NBA player and win in the playoffs if he doesn’t become at least an Average defender without fouling. He doesn’t have to be an elite defender but he at least needs to be average on that end.

    Phil Jackson had to take a stand with Michael Jordan earlier in his coaching career and they won 6 championships

    IF Hornets want to be Elite, they got to hold guys accountable

    Draw the line in the sand

  10. Lee will look like the bad guy because he is unproven as a HC. He's not Phil Jackson in the Pippen/Kukoc controversy. AND his decision didn't result in a win.

  11. Just trade him because Charlotte undervalues him all the time he’s been on a tear an benching your franchise player for a whole fourth quarter is not a great coaching decision an still losing to prove a point is egocentric

  12. Tre Mann is a defensive liability. He was dominated 1v1 three of four possessions in the closing minutes resulting in 3 layups & two and ones. He also committed an offensive foul resulting in a TO and only 1 basket for 2 points on 5 attempts in the closing minutes. (3x of these were same possession offensive rebound)

    Great Job Coach!

  13. Charles Lee made a bad call by benching Lamelo on the 4th quarter, where typically Lamelo explodes. I hope Charles Lee loses his job for this fiasco!

  14. Nah the 4th was t the problem they scored 37 in the first then fell apart from there they should have absolutely smashed the nets all the damn missed shots and what 20 plus turnovers come the fuck on stop with the spaz shots and stop dribbling like micic

  15. I’m in the Uk, I watched the highlights on my train to work in the morning. I was SHIT SCARED lamelo was injured as he wasn’t visible in q4 and it didn’t pick up on the highlights. So thankful he was fit but wow 20 something minutes maybe one off game from Charles Lee but come on that was not a justified move!!! Lamelo has to play. Are we tanking? I’ll let Charles off as I think he’s great but he screwed up here

  16. Melo was doing dumb stuff. He’s had bad coaching and develop a lot of bad habits. Regardless of the fourth quarter numbers the team has a losing record and for the team to improve he has to eliminate the simple AAU mistakes. If he learns and improve they’ll be fine otherwise it shows he just the typical immature player.

  17. You guys are truly amazing. I realize you’re in the entertainment industry and have to create and discuss controversial subjects. But to sit here and listen how much more you know than Charles Lee it’s truly amazing.
    If you have ever coached at any level, and that includes the NBA with it politics, as you say, some things do not change. Great coaches affect change in their players. The issues you guys have had with the previous coach and staffs were that they were not assertive enough with LaMelo Ball and now you get a coach who actually doing what he’s paid to do and that’s bring out the best in his players And your questioning that.
    Anyway, it’s amusing how often sports commentators are wrong and there breakdown of what is going on with a team and behind the scenes and when they’re predictions and insights, do not pan out they just go onto the next prediction. Weatherman are held more accountable than sports commentators! Love you guys. Give Coach a break and support him a little love for not playing games with his players and doing what is right.

  18. Lamelo is the best 4th qtr SCOERER rn. Coach took him out because tre Mann shows way more effort on defense. If you don't punish him he's going to keep doing what he want especially because he's a superstar. Great decision on the coach. Mold him into a better player

  19. Yall should feel lucky to have a coach that’s willing to make a move like this. There’s a difference between having a cold shooting night and making horrible decisions. Lamelo can be great but nobody should be immune to the bench if they’re selling the game with lazy decisions

  20. Yall asking LaMelo to go through adversity & take accountability for his mistakes when he hasn’t had to do that his WHOLE ENTIRE BASKETBALL LIFE??? He probably asked for a trade after the game, if not by next week. He ain’t built that way. And there’s nobody in management nor coaches that have his respect enough to check him. 🤷🏾‍♂️🤷🏾‍♂️

  21. LaMelo’s game needs to mature. Every game does not have to be a street ball game. As a PG he needs to learn how to control games with IQ and not focus so much on flash. I rather him lead the NBA in assists vs. scoring.

  22. Odd this happend in a Nationally televised game….the NBA is trying to SUPPRESS lamelo they don't want him to be a star. Melo can't get a call Refs let him hit the floor 20 times a game at the rim just no respect he's going to get hurt again bc teams know they can rough him up and nothing so they will just keep fouling him harder. I don't blame Melo for being frustrated it unreal the lack of calls for a player of his caliber but I think they know he would avg 35+ points a game if he got a fair whistle. Can you imagine Luka Doncic getting benched 4th quarter and he takes tons of so called bad shots and makes stupid fouls and chirps at the Refs WAY more then Lamelo…he also has bad stretches of gameplay just like every player ever but you dont bench Lamelo. This is crazy Lamleo makes plays nobody in the world can make. And look at the team they have around him…Imagine if they had a decent Center For Melo to Drop dimes to on his way to the rim and you have Taj FREAKING GIBSON 40 years old wtf and he sits out so you have Grant Williams who cant finish a single layup assist from Melo…this is a joke no wonder he can at times take a bad shot or two what other option does he have and most of the time he puts the team on his back in the 4th leading NBA in scoring.

  23. Stupid coach move. He must want to get his young ass fired. Mann missed several shot and his defense sucked. Stupid stupid stupid stupid!!!!! Fans will stop watching you do that shit again!

  24. They going to end up like the Panthers, they going to miss him. Like they missed Cam. Melo is bigger than they imagine. Melo is a generational talent.

    But this is the same franchise that traded Kobe and said they couldn't use him so I'm not surprised

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